Vehicles include moveable panels for sealing openings in a body of the vehicle. The moveable panels may include but are not limited to a lift gate for sealing a rear opening of a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), a decklid for sealing a trunk space of a sedan, a hatch for sealing a rear opening of a hatchback, a hood for sealing an engine compartment, or a side door for sealing a passenger compartment. It should be appreciated that the opening and the moveable panel may be located anywhere on the vehicle, and may be positioned in any suitable orientation.
A closure assembly secures the moveable panel relative to the body of the vehicle. The closure assembly may include a striker assembly and a latch mechanism. Typically, the striker assembly is attached to the body, and the latch mechanism is attached to and moveable with the panel. However, the relative positions of the striker assembly and the latch mechanism may be reversed. The striker assembly includes a wire striker, which generally forms a loop. The panel and the latch mechanism move along a path into and out of engagement with the striker assembly. The latch mechanism engages the wire striker of the striker assembly in interlocking engagement to secure the panel relative to the body. Some closure assemblies, while securing the moveable panel against movement along the path relative to the body, allow some movement of the moveable panel relative to the body. The moveable panel may move in a direction transverse to the path, i.e., side to side, and may also move in a fore/aft direction, i.e., in an axial or longitudinal direction along the path. This lateral and/or longitudinal movement should be restricted to prevent the moveable panel from contacting the body and causing undesirable noise, paint chips, etc.